As the world faces unprecedented ocean degradation, an International Platform for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS) emerges as a key innovation to bridge the implementation gap between knowledge and actionable policies. Supported by the European Commission, a global coalition of scientific institutions and international stakeholders, Towards IPOS aims to provide timely, scientifically robust, and inclusive knowledge solutions tailored to policymakers’ needs. Shaped by in-depth analyses of existing assessments, their best practices, limitations, and supplemented by extensive stakeholder consultations, the emerging IPOS is designed to address gaps to accelerate global ocean sustainability action by providing a transformative, collaborative framework for decision-makers, researchers, and communities to co-create solutions for pressing ocean challenges. This session will introduce the IPOS mission, outlining its vision to support global and regional sustainability goals (such as SDG 14) through accessible, contextually relevant solutions. 

How to cite: Gaill, F. and Brodie Rudolph, T.: Driving Global Action for Ocean Sustainability: The Role of an International Platform for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS), One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-249, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-249, 2025.

Global sustainability targets provide a collective lighthouse to guide societal choices and policy making towards sustainability. Global Environmental Assessments (GEAs) and other Global Assessments (GAs) play a crucial role in synthesizing knowledge on the state of the ocean, climate and biodiversity and on their connections with society that can inform policy decisions towards achieving these targets. In order to investigate the extent and depth of this evidence base to support ocean sustainability decisions across scales, two studies systematically assessed the presence, quality, range and effective transmission of environmental, social and economic ocean knowledge in over 40 GEAs/GAs and processes. Results revealed that ocean knowledge: is fragmented and dispersed; lacks holistic perspectives; does not equitably address the three pillars of ocean sustainability; nor account for all knowledge types. Interviews, wide consultation and workshops with actors at the science-policy-society interface demonstrated: (i) a strong demand for co-created knowledge that equitably addresses social, economic, and cultural values at ecosystem and ocean challenge-relevant scales; (iii) a lack of efficient and effective transmission of knowledge into actionable policies; (iii) the need for, and added-value of, an additional global mechanism at the science-policy-society interface, such as an International Platform for Ocean Sustainability,  to deliver sound contextually-relevant knowledge that can support actionable solutions and pathways to reach SDGs and other global targets. The process helped identify conditions required to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of this new additional mechanism, including partnerships with existing global platforms, civil society, private sector, and local and indigenous networks. 

How to cite: Strosser, P., Neumann, B., de Paoli, G., Boteler, B., Brodie Rudolph, T., Gaill, F., and Alexander, B.: Assessing the environmental, social and economic dimensions of ocean sustainability at global scale: can we do better? , One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-429, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-429, 2025.

Urgent, evidence-based policies are needed to promote ocean sustainability. While global environmental assessments (GEAs) synthesizing ocean knowledge are growing, their processes must ensure social legitimacy, scientific credibility, and relevance to decision-makers. We conducted a review to consolidate best practices for GEAs to achieve legitimacy, credibility, and salience, and developed a standardized framework to assess their implementation and the coverage of ocean knowledge. The application of this framework to 12 influential reports shows that credibility practices are well implemented but that opportunities remain to enhance legitimacy and salience, particularly by increasing stakeholder engagement and diversifying knowledge representation. Key pathways to strengthen GEAs include developing knowledge-weaving practices, capturing regional diversity, multi-level approaches, greater transparency, and inter-assessment coordination to address ocean sustainability challenges. Such efforts should also yield guidelines for examining emerging technological approaches and associated research activities that address feasibility, effectiveness and trade-offs, such as between climate mitigation technologies and measures to strengthen biodiversity and its climate resilience.

How to cite: Pörtner, H.-O., Obura, D., Jacquemont, J., Claudet, J., Gaill, F., and Brodie Rudolph, T.: Establishing guidelines to support ocean sustainability, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-470, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-470, 2025.

Ocean science plays a critical role in decision-making processes with distributional effects, which inherently carry equity implications. At the same time, concerns about equity shape how ocean science is conducted, influencing which scientific questions are prioritized. Expanding participation in setting research agendas through inclusive processes can significantly alter the trajectory of ocean science. Recent initiatives promoting "ocean knowledge co-production" in transdisciplinary research are grounded in this idea, emphasizing the involvement of decision-makers and coastal communities in determining scientific priorities. Such inclusivity enhances the relevance of research for policy needs and strengthens community trust by increasing the legitimacy of scientific endeavors. However, co-production is not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are multiple models of co-production, with varying degrees of inclusion, equitability, and effectiveness, and some may even backfire if not implemented carefully. The emerging International Platform for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS) aims to integrate co-production into its operational framework, with the goal of producing actionable, community-relevant research to strengthen ocean knowledge-policy interfaces. We present the findings from our multi-pronged attempts at defining and piloting inclusive and equitable co-production processes within the context of the IPOS framework. This includes: 1) Key design features elicited during dedicated workshops with marine social scientists and practitioners; 2) The "IPOS Handbook for Best Practices Implementation."; 3) Outcomes from a Towards IPOS Pilot Project in co-leadership with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LC). Insights from these experiences point towards the need for a clear, principled, and consistent engagement with researchers, practitioners, and historically marginalized ocean communities from the Global South. For IPOS to successfully contribute to ocean sustainability, it must ensure that co-production processes are not only inclusive but also equitable and capable of addressing the needs of coastal communities. Therefore, the adoption of an human rights-based approach to ocean sustainability by IPOS will be crucial for making co-production effective and ensuring the success of the platform's work.

How to cite: Singh, G., Karigitu, N., Gerhardinger, L., Mirobo, F., Pereira, L., Selim, S., Zivian, A., and Jean, H.: Fostering inclusion and equity in ocean sustainability through knowledge co-construction, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-432, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-432, 2025.

Insights from Towards IPOS consultation process: informing development and future directions

The foundational value proposition for an IPOS has been significantly enriched and shaped by a methodologically diverse consultation process launched in 2022. Through a combination of one-on-one interviews, in-person and online workshops, side events at international conferences, and expert consultations via online surveys, the Towards IPOS initiative has gathered insights from hundreds of ocean practitioners on the potential role, structure, and functions of an IPOS. This multi-layered consultation has deepened our understanding of global priorities, regional needs, and the governance challenges in ocean sustainability, highlighting the opportunity that an IPOS could represent if designed effectively. Key insights emphasize the importance of balancing decentralization with cohesive global strategies, empowering regional experts while ensuring unified, impactful action. The empowerment of historically disenfranchised ocean stakeholders and the need to act fast while remaining inclusive are among the challenges that IPOS will have to address as it finalizes its proposed form and function, which must remain adaptable to change. Thus far, this iterative feedback process has allowed the initiative to refine its framework, aligning it with core values of transparency, inclusivity, and accountability. By adopting this approach, Towards IPOS has developed a governance model that bridges scientific expertise and policy action, offering a platform for collaborative, evidence-based decision-making. As we move toward the formal establishment of IPOS, ongoing engagement remains essential to building an organization that is responsive to the evolving needs of ocean conservation and sustainable management. Once IPOS is established and broadens its reach across the ocean stakeholder community, maintaining an active dialogue with its members will be equally important, especially as different aspects of the IPOS structure and operations may need to adapt over time.

How to cite: Becquet, L., Brodie Rudolph, T., Ortuno Crespo, G., Vincent, A., Cavaleri Gerhardinger, L., and Ackerman, H.: Insights from Towards IPOS consultation process: informing development and future directions, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-523, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-523, 2025.

Europe – China Frontier Forums on the progress in ocean science and technology under the Ocean Decade framework

Jing Zhang (ECNU, SJTU, China) and Paul Tréguer (IUEM-UBO, Brest, France), in collaboration with Towards IPOS

The Ocean Decade is a 10-year framework initiative of UNESCO aiming to identify, generate and use critical ocean knowledge to manage the ocean sustainably. Within this framework, the European Academy of Science (EurASc), together with the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), organise Frontier Forums on the progress in ocean science and technology. They provide a platform for marine scientists and engineers in China and Europe to share their knowledge and experience of frontier research methods and results, and to foster international and interdisciplinary collaboration to manage ocean sustainability. So far, three frontiers forums were organised in October 2020, September 2022, and November 2024. These forums comprise thematic contributions on artificial intelligence, big data management, digital twins of the ocean, ocean ecosystems and carbon cycle, coastal ocean and sustainability including the impacts of see level rise, ocean technology and observation systems and networks, and ocean negative carbon emissions. Synthetic outputs of these frontier forums will be presented during the OOSC.

How to cite: Tréguer, P., Zhang, J., and Rudolph, T. B.: Europe – China Frontier Forums on the progress in ocean science and technology under the Ocean Decade framework, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-248, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-248, 2025.

TowardsIPOS is pioneering the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the intersection of ocean science and policy. Through a cutting-edge collaboration, IPOS has developed an AI-powered large language model (LLM) that translates complex scientific data into actionable, policy-driven insights. This innovative tool synthesizes a wide range of information—from peer-reviewed research to indigenous and local knowledge—adapting its recommendations to the specific needs of individual nations. Initial pilot projects showcase its ability to generate tailored, evidence-based strategies that empower policymakers in their quest for sustainable ocean governance. By enhancing credibility, coherence, and responsiveness, this AI-driven approach represents a transformative step toward achieving global ocean sustainability goals.

How to cite: Danielson, J., Reddiboina, M., de Lisle, M., Wang, Z., Pankajakshan, A., Tawil, R., De Buyser, E., and Provost, V.: Leveraging the power of AI in support of closing the implementation gap between ocean science and policy action with Towards IPOS, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-386, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-386, 2025.